After a busy day in Usme, we stayed close to home and went to the cathedral's novena. There were lots of kids there from a very poor neighborhood that is located about 5-10 minutes above us. We have been working with them every other Saturday while their parents go to workshops at the cathedral. Padre Diego started this program a couple of months ago, and it has been very successful. It's a great way to get everyone involved and excited about going to church. The people from this neighborhood have quickly become an integral part of our congregation.
The novena was smaller than it was at Usme, but there were still lots of children. They were doing readings and singing loudly. It was great!
Day 3. December 19, 2009. Usme
Back to Usme for another BIG novena. This time, my Mom, Brittany, and I arrived at 4 for a Christmas party with our kids from the mission. We were walking up the hill to the mission when one of the kids, Dilan, saw us from around the corner. He yelled to the other kids that the "profes" (Brittany and I) were there. The next thing we know, 15+ kids were running as fast as they could down the hill to attack us with big hugs and kisses. It was the best feeling in the world.
After hugging all of the kids, we went inside and started our party. Brittany had printed out pictures of all of our kids and thought of the idea to give them to their parents as Christmas presents. We brought art supplies to make their gifts and it was amazing! Brittany was in charge of glitter glue, while my mom and I helped them add confetti and feathers to their creations. They were all so cute!
The second hour of our big Christmas celebration was spent playing a new game. My mom brought 'bingo' from the states and they loved it. The three kids with 10 stars (according to our star chart) got to open the big box. Most of them already knew how to play, but Brittany and I had to help some of the little ones. The padre's nephew, Camilo, was our 'caller' and he was excellent!
Overall, it was a fun party and the novena afterwards was just as packed as our first night there. After the novena, the kids picked up their pictures and gave them to their families. It was easy to see how excited they were to give their parents (or parent) something special.
Love, Kate
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